C1- Music Videos Flashcards
Analysis of Turntables of Janelle Monae
-all harmonious and peaceful
-establishing of her as the star
-concept of young girl in a virtual world, got to vote to create a better future, reflects that this timeline could be present or into the future.
-optimism as she listens to old technology, how race was treated early on in American history, beginning of movement to get equality for Black people.
context for Turntables
-Janelle Monae is an American singer, songwriter, author and actor. They have won 8 GRAMMY awards. They also starred in ‘Hidden Figures’, a box office success about black women mathematicians who worked for NASA.
-Signed to Atlantic Records, but also has their own independant label ‘Wondaland Arts Society’.
-Not specifically recorded for an album– Turntables was a single for documentary ‘All In: The Fight for Democracy’
-Released during the pandemic in 2020, which according to Monae was a time they found challenging mentally and uninspiring for writing music, therefore longer to next album after 2018’s Dirty Computer
-The song name Turntables is a play on words for change, with the lyrics encompassing the phrase “the tables have turned”, showing how things are changing and justice will be served.
-Song has a heavy focus on revolution and the need for change.
-An anthem to lift people up.
-Music video uploaded onto YouTube: 2.2M views, 46K likes and no dislikes, all as of 30/4/24
-“child”- director of Turntables music video isa music video producer who has worked with some of the biggest artists around today, like DOJA Cat, Tyla, Ice Spice, Janelle Monae, Victoria Monét. Wears a mask as doesn’t want to be put into boxes, just want the art to speak for itself.
-Key issues that are looked at withing the documentary, leading to themes within the song and music video: Georgia State Election, Voter Suppression Laws in USA, Activism within America, Stacey Abrams: a former Georgia state representative who is friends with Monae, Fight for Young and POC votes in America, Black Lives Matter.
-Jim Crow era laws
-1890 Mississippi constitutional convention, where they attempted to rewrite the 15th amendment to disenfranchise Black voters
-1898 Wilmington Massacre
-1915 and 1944 ruling against states that violated the 15th amendment
-1964 Civil Right Act
-1965 Bloody Sunday
-1965 Voting Rights Act
-2006 Voting Rights Act extended for another 25 years, until 2031
-2013 Shelby County Vs. Holder, meaning states with history of racial discrimination can change their election law without seeking federal approval. Used in Arizona, Georgia and Texas
-2020 Biden wins presidential election, whereas Trump and his allies claim voter fraud in cities where the population are predominantly Black, inferring they think their votes shouldn’t count
-2021 attack on US capitol, mainly white supremacists unhappy in the pivotal role Black people played in voting for Biden, getting him elected as the next US President.
Who is Janelle Monae? Trailblazer
Monaé is a trailblazer as they go outside of the box with their music and image, aren’t not afraid to challenge stereotypes and people’s preconceptions, and set new trends. This can be show within their music and imagery for their 2018 studio album Dirty Computer, which features a funk, hip hop and R&B sound, following Monaé exploring themes of identity and isolation.
Who is Janelle Monae? Activist
Monaé can also be described as an activist, for her work such as Hidden Figures, as well as not being afraid to stand up for what is right, especially in the face of adversity and the patriarchy, and demanding equality. This is probably seen the most in her song Turntables, for the Amazon Prime documentary, ‘All In: The Fight for Democracy’. The song focuses of themes of revolution and how things are changing within society, and the progress we have yet to make. It has a heavy political undertone, that Monaé uses to get her point and voice across.
Who is Janelle Monae? Role model
Finally, Monaé can also be described as a role model, especially for the younger generations, as she is setting new standards, and setting a new example. This is clear through her social media pages, such as Facebook and Instagram which have seamless integration between them, as she highlights body positivity, and expressing yourself authentically. This can also be seen through her latest album, 2023’s The Age of Pleasure, which focuses on themes of finding self-love and pleasure.
What does the director of the Little Bit of Love music video say the video aims to do?
-breaking down toxic masculinity; shown within the opening shot of Tom Grennan stood in the window surrounded by sunlight.
-the men threatening another man constructed to be innocent is used to reflect how there is an expectation for men particularly to be hostile and violent and grow into these personas that don’t accurately describe them, and what they want to do.
-championing people’s imagination and what they want to do with their lives; shown with the clip of Grennan and his younger brother leaving the corner shop with an inflatable swimming pool.
-showing reality of life and how ideas of society has infiltrated everywhere; shown with the clip of Grennan stood outside a block of flats, in front of a green sofa.
Media Language for Turntables
-It is a narrative/performance video.
Visual codes:
-clothing, different cultural codes are established through clothes, suggesting the inclusivity and diversity of the community. For example, the young girl and the black women’s hairstyles carry cultural connotations. Monae themselves wears a 1940’s army uniform relating to national identity.
-setting and iconography, the music video locations move between archive footage locations, surreal settings and iconography and the oridanry home of a family having breakfast. VR headset connotes that the scenes are consigned to history.
-Expressions and gestures, protest gestures in the archive footage, including footage of the Black Power raised fists, are similarly represented in more contemporary footage.
Technical codes:
-establishing shots and final shots create a cyclical structure, connoting freedom
-use of close-up shots of Monae in the music video create an upbeat feeling as well as engagement with the audience.
-long shot of Monae with their back to the American flag connotes the flag as a symbol of opression.
-canted angles combined with fast editing towards the end of the video as the music builds creates a sense of disorientation reflecting the need to disrupt the status quo.
-birds eye view shot of the BLM protests and Pride March signify the strength of feeling of inequality across America.
-editing cuts between black and white archive footage, the contemporary new clips and the performance of the artist in various settings, establishing a cohesive message reinforcing the ideology of the music video through visual signifers.
Audio codes:
-A clip of writer James Baldwin’s 1968, featured in the 2016 documentary about his work ‘I Am Not Your Negro’
Narrative codes:
-non-linear narrative, with elements of the past, present and future combined to highlight injustices done in the past, how they are still happening today and we all need to work together to ensure they don’t keep happening.
-a struture to the music video appears as it begins and ends in the same location; on the beach.
Representation for Turntables
-Monae uses blended genres in their music such as rap,jazz, and uses them to cover themes related to experiences of Afro-Americans, and explore social injustices and the supression of minority groups.
Context for LBOL
-Tom Grennan is an indie/alternative rock singer-songwriter. The context of his music is personal and is inspired by his own experiences.
-The track LBOL is taken from his second studio album
-Music video directed by Keane Shaw
-His songwriting is defined by his musical influences, such as Amy Winehouse, and Adele.
-The narrative is constructed by the music video offers social commentary and challenges audience perceptions of particular social groups, positioning the audience to view them differently.
Media Language for LBOL
-It is a narrative/performance music video
Visual codes:
-Clothing, made relatable to the young audeince and carries cultural connotations. Tom wears knitwear and jewellery that act as a motif to aid self-promotion. Despite wearing a range of different outfits in the music video, they are the same whether he is performing or is part of the narrative, displaying his close involvement with the story.
-Setting and iconography, the music video is filmed in real locations to create realism. The earthy colour palette reinforces the sense of real life happening.
-Expressions and gestures, the foucs of the track is introspective, and this is signified through the code of expression of Grennan as the artist. His expressionat the start of the music video is one of barely controlled anger at his situation, highlighting themes of toxic masculinity. These expressions are juxtaposed with happier expressions as he teaches his brother to swim.
Technical codes:
-close-up shots are used freuqently in the music video to enable Grennan and the younger character to engage with the audience and to convey the raw emotion of the narrative. These shots also convey meaning rapidly, for example the close-up of the bag of money and the picutre of the man.
-establishing showts of the urban, working-class surroundings anchor the narrative in a realistic setting, suggesting the representation of real life and depict scenarios from Grennan’s personal experiences. They place Grennan at the centre of his community. For example, the iconic social housing block with the artist sitting on an abandoned sofa.
-editing, cuts between the powerful perofrmance of the artist and the parallel narrative of his relationship with his brother and his inner conflict, all conveyed through visual signifers. For example, the sequence which cuts between the two watching television and the brick coming through the window, there is no dialogue, but the editing effectively demonstrates one world infringing on the other.
-Montange editing, sequences convey the difference between the two worlds when the young boy finds the money, confronts Grennan and throws the money in the paddling pool.
Narrative:
- circular narrative
-moments of humour
-Intertextual references
-different narrative strands are dominated by the performance of the artist who acts as the storyteller, a typical convention of this style of music videos.
Representation for LBOL
-Features representations of youth, place, class, gender and social issues, including mental health, in a way that is relatable to the target audience.
-Features areas of society, including gender and social class, that are frequently misrepresented and underrepresented. Whilst the approach is very personal and semi-authobiographical, the representations constructed are also universal, challenging and raising awareness of social issues.
-Grennan is represented in a position of responsability and community
-Masculinity is representred as breaking down toxic masculinity.
-Representation of youth also dominate the music video, illustrating issues relating to young people, particularly in underpriviledged areas including violence and gang culture.
-Representations of class are also featured on the music video, with a suggestion that, because of his background and social situation, Grennan’s character has adopted a life of cirme as a way out.
-Self-representation, Grennan uses the music video almost autobiographical, to explore aspects of his own idenity and it is very personal.
